I read this news today, as I’m sure did many, with a profound sense of loss and sadness. Gary will always be for me an exemplary, faith-filled disciple who believed deeply and through those beliefs ascribed in words and deeds, he blessed others abundantly. Through the difficult times (and there were so many as he struggled with his serious illness) as well as easier days, he was ever the same in declaring his trust in God and his assurance of God’s love for him. . . . and for every last one of us. And, he declared all those easy or difficult times “good times”…”God times!”

We don’t all know each other in this community which Gary reached out to day after day after week after month after year, but he generously invited us into his community and in some way we’ve all belonged to him and each other. Even on the days that I didn’t read his entry I knew that there for the taking, there for my nourishment, there for anyone who needed or wanted them, were wonderful words of life:

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.

I wanted to make sure this got out to Gary’s readers. It saddens me to think we have lost a friend and such a supportive person, but he is where his true home is and I have to think that is where his heart truly belongs along side God. There is no way to say he is in a better place that will comfort those that lost him without sounding cliché and hearts will be broken over this loss. Gary was there to take over things for me when I was no longer able to keep up with NSMinistries.com and will be missed by the readers there as well. Please pray for his family and friends for the comfort they will need.

Gary Gene Piper, 71, of Fort Gratiot, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

He was born June 15, 1946 in Yale to the late Harley and Dorothy Piper. He married Patricia Booth on March 9, 1968 in Fort Gratiot.

Mr. Piper was employed with Mueller Brass Company for nearly 42 years. He was an evangelist with the Community of Christ Richmond Congregation and the author and creator of Glory Seeds Devotionals. Gary served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and was a member of V.F.W. Charles Schoor Post #796. He was a former member of the Fort Gratiot Township Fire Department and was named Fireman of the Year in 1976.

He is survived by his wife, Patti; two sons, Troy (Patricia) Piper and Aaron Piper; two grandchildren, Ethan Fike and Dylan Piper; two great grandchildren, Colton and Oliver Fike; four siblings, Alan (Susan) Piper, Diane Brown, Randy Piper and Billy D. Piper (Barbara Atkins); a brother-in-law, Robert M. (Susan) Lambert; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two nieces, Jodi Piper and Cara Lambert.

Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 in Wadhams Grove Community of Christ. Gary’s son, Pastor Troy Piper, will officiate.

Burial will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Military honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy and the St. Clair County Allied Veterans Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Community of Christ, Richmond, or V.F.W. Charles Schoor Post #796. To send condolences, visit www.pollockrandall.com

I read this news today, as I’m sure did many, with a profound sense of loss and sadness. Gary will always be for me an exemplary, faith-filled disciple who believed deeply and through those beliefs ascribed in words and deeds, he blessed others abundantly. Through the difficult times (and there were so many as he struggled with his serious illness) as well as easier days, he was ever the same in declaring his trust in God and his assurance of God’s love for him. . . . and for every last one of us. And, he declared all those easy or difficult times “good times”…”God times!”

We don’t all know each other in this community which Gary reached out to day after day after week after month after year, but he generously invited us into his community and in some way we’ve all belonged to him and each other. Even on the days that I didn’t read his entry I knew that there for the taking, there for my nourishment, there for anyone who needed or wanted them, were wonderful words of life:

Sing them over again to me,
Wonderful words of life,
Let me more of their beauty see,
Wonderful words of life;
Words of life and beauty
Teach me faith and duty.

I wanted to make sure this got out to Gary’s readers. It saddens me to think we have lost a friend and such a supportive person, but he is where his true home is and I have to think that is where his heart truly belongs along side God. There is no way to say he is in a better place that will comfort those that lost him without sounding cliché and hearts will be broken over this loss. Gary was there to take over things for me when I was no longer able to keep up with NSMinistries.com and will be missed by the readers there as well. Please pray for his family and friends for the comfort they will need.

Gary Gene Piper, 71, of Fort Gratiot, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

He was born June 15, 1946 in Yale to the late Harley and Dorothy Piper. He married Patricia Booth on March 9, 1968 in Fort Gratiot.

Mr. Piper was employed with Mueller Brass Company for nearly 42 years. He was an evangelist with the Community of Christ Richmond Congregation and the author and creator of Glory Seeds Devotionals. Gary served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and was a member of V.F.W. Charles Schoor Post #796. He was a former member of the Fort Gratiot Township Fire Department and was named Fireman of the Year in 1976.

He is survived by his wife, Patti; two sons, Troy (Patricia) Piper and Aaron Piper; two grandchildren, Ethan Fike and Dylan Piper; two great grandchildren, Colton and Oliver Fike; four siblings, Alan (Susan) Piper, Diane Brown, Randy Piper and Billy D. Piper (Barbara Atkins); a brother-in-law, Robert M. (Susan) Lambert; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two nieces, Jodi Piper and Cara Lambert.

Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 in Wadhams Grove Community of Christ. Gary’s son, Pastor Troy Piper, will officiate.

Burial will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Military honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy and the St. Clair County Allied Veterans Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Community of Christ, Richmond, or V.F.W. Charles Schoor Post #796. To send condolences, visit www.pollockrandall.com

]]>https://gloryseeddevotionals.org/2018/04/29/gary-piper-author-of-the-glory-seed-garden-devotional-obituary-2/feed/0Crusty the ChristianGary Piper Author of the Glory Seed Garden Devotional Obituaryhttps://gloryseeddevotionals.org/2018/04/29/gary-piper-author-of-the-glory-seed-garden-devotional-obituary/
https://gloryseeddevotionals.org/2018/04/29/gary-piper-author-of-the-glory-seed-garden-devotional-obituary/#respondSun, 29 Apr 2018 06:25:48 +0000http://gloryseeddevotionals.org/2018/04/29/gary-piper-author-of-the-glory-seed-garden-devotional-obituary/Continue reading →]]>I wanted to make sure this got out to Gary’s readers. It saddens me to think we have lost a friend and such a supportive person, but he is where his true home is and I have to think that is where his heart truly belongs along side God. There is no way to say he is in a better place that will comfort those that lost him without sounding cliché and hearts will be broken over this loss. Gary was there to take over things for me when I was no longer able to keep up with NSMinistries.com and will be missed by the readers there as well. Please pray for his family and friends for the comfort they will need.

Gary Gene Piper, 71, of Fort Gratiot, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

He was born June 15, 1946 in Yale to the late Harley and Dorothy Piper. He married Patricia Booth on March 9, 1968 in Fort Gratiot.

Mr. Piper was employed with Mueller Brass Company for nearly 42 years. He was an evangelist with the Community of Christ Richmond Congregation and the author and creator of Glory Seeds Devotionals. Gary served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and was a member of V.F.W. Charles Schoor Post #796. He was a former member of the Fort Gratiot Township Fire Department and was named Fireman of the Year in 1976.

He is survived by his wife, Patti; two sons, Troy (Patricia) Piper and Aaron Piper; two grandchildren, Ethan Fike and Dylan Piper; two great grandchildren, Colton and Oliver Fike; four siblings, Alan (Susan) Piper, Diane Brown, Randy Piper and Billy D. Piper (Barbara Atkins); a brother-in-law, Robert M. (Susan) Lambert; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two nieces, Jodi Piper and Cara Lambert.

Visitation will be 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday in Pollock-Randall Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 in Wadhams Grove Community of Christ. Gary’s son, Pastor Troy Piper, will officiate.

Burial will be in Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly. Military honors will be conducted by the U.S. Navy and the St. Clair County Allied Veterans Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Community of Christ, Richmond, or V.F.W. Charles Schoor Post #796. To send condolences, visit www.pollockrandall.com

““Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take up my yoke and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”” (Matthew 11:28–30)

Once upon a time a man was hitchhiking on a dusty road headed toward a big city and on his back he carried all his worldly possessions. As he walked he was suddenly passed by a man in a pickup truck, after he passed the hitchhiker he looked into his mirror in time to see the man fall to the ground because of his heavy load.

The truck driver stopped backed up got out of his truck helped the man to he feet and said, “Sit on the back of my truck and I’ll give you a ride into town.” The hitchhiker smiled and sat down facing the backwards.

Several minutes later, the driver looked in the mirror and saw the man leaning over as if he were going to fall out. The hitchhiker still had his heavy backpack on. The driver stopped the truck walked to the back and suggested to the man it would be better if he would take off the pack and lay it in the back of the truck.

“I can’t do that,” the man replied, “I’ve already added to much weight to your truck and with the cost of gas I don’t want to be any more of a burden than I already am.”

If you’ve asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins or lighten your burden then don’t be like the hitchhiker and continue to let them burden you. If he had not wanted to take them from you, he would have stayed in heaven.

There are gardens, then there is the Garden of the LORD…

Shalom!

“What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9) I hope King Solomon will not be upset with me if I disagree with him. He writes there is nothing new under the sun, but what about this? “This came from the Lord; it is wondrous in our sight. This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:23–24)

The problem with nothing new under the sun is today is a new day. There has never been a April 25, 2018 and there will never be another either. “This is the day the LORD has made…” While it is true today holds some old “stuff” it is also a treasure hold of new experiences, new adventures, new “stuff.” Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Will today be the day when your prayers are answered? Will today be the day you find yourself finding a new career? Will today be the day you find yourself facing a storm thrust on you? Will today be the day when the LORD takes you home? Today is a day of endless possibilities as we look to God for the life coming forth out of the unknown.

One of the problems with today is it is not enough. We need tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day. The problem with that is there may not be a next day. While the possibilities of the next day are as endless as today the next day is not a sure thing. Like Jesus said, “Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:34) And this, “,,,on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

Do you remember the song “One day at a time sweet Jesus that’s all I am asking from you.”? Better advice has never been given especially in a world that is racing faster than a New York minute! One of the beauties of a garden is time seems to slow down allowing us to slow ourselves down and “smell the roses” taking time to be with God, to be still, to listen, to experience the endless possibilities He as prepared for us.

I come to the Glory Seed Garden alone, while the dew is still on the ground, and the voice I hear falling on my ear is the Word of God talking to me.

God is not only the Author of new days, He is also the Author of new “stuff” live in today yet do not anticipate what has not happened yet, God is also the God of Surprises!

Change is in the air I have decided to do a minor change in the Glory Seed Devotionals, you’ve probably already noticed some of the changes at the top of the page. I have been thinking about the slogan on the Blog “Planting seeds of Glory for the LORD” create an imaginary Glory Seed Garden where the seeds are planted. Yet as imaginary as the Garden is it actually exists in your spirit/heart, the Glory Seed Garden in your life and mine. The apostle Paul puts it this way. “So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:7–9, CSB)

Gardens have a special place in the bible. Life as we know it began in a garden, the Garden of Eden. And it was in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus opened the road that leads to eternal life for us.

“…but only God who gives the growth.” I would be willing to bet if a seed could somehow come back and tell us what it’s like have its hard shell slowly burst open, it would tell us it was not a painless experience. Jesus sets us straight not only when it comes seeds but our lives as well. “Jesus replied to them, “Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit.” (John 12:24, CSB)

Come to the Glory Seed Garden, come alone or bring a friend.

Come away from the thorn and thistle infested wilderness and rest awhile.

Breathe the Garden’s Fresh Air, experience the touch of the Master’s Hand.

“Jesus called his disciples and said, “I have compassion on the crowd, because they’ve already stayed with me three days and have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry, otherwise they might collapse on the way.” (Matthew 15:32)

WOW!

What a promise. If we follow Jesus he is unwilling to send us into the world without first providing us with the “stuff” we’ll need.

Have you ever noticed the things we do in the present are for tomorrow?

Take eating for instance. We eat in the present, taste in the present, enjoy the food in the present, and reap the benefits (and / or the curse) of eating in the unfolding hours until we eat again.

Take going to work for instance. We labor in the present for our paycheck the following week.

Jesus knew the demands of being a follower would be very taxing, in fact so taxing that without providing for us first we’d be doomed to failure. Jesus makes provision for each of us to be blessed by the timelessness of the Holy Spirit, which gives and sustains life. One of the unique personalities of the Holy Spirit is its ability to react to multiple situations at a time then bring the past, present, and future into focus on a moment by moment basis thus enabling us to move forward into the future.

Jesus… Don’t face the future without Him!

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise

“After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46)

In his Country Western his song “The Gambler” Kenny Rogers sings of the gambler knowing when to walk away. However, two thousand years before his hit song Jesus was walking away when the time was right!

While Jesus never gambled he knew that there were times when he needed to be alone with God for the tasks that would shortly face him. He walked away so he could pray for his disciples. He walked away when things became too dangerous for him. But when it came face-to-face with his trial and crucifixion he chose not to walk away but instead turned and walked straight into them.

Jesus was a Leader by example what he did with his life is his greatest wish for us to do with ours. There are times when the storms of life are overwhelming, and we need to withdraw temporally which by the way is one of the reasons for attending church on a regular basis. But there are also times when it is advisable to walk straight into some of the storms we face knowing that Jesus’ gift of the Holy Spirit ensures us that we will never really be alone.

Go ahead walk away, take a prayer break, take a I want to be alone break, get away if you must but remember: “Where can I go to escape your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. If I live at the eastern horizon or settle at the western limits, even there your hand will lead me; your right hand will hold on to me. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will be night”— even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.” (Psalm 139:7–12)

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise

““Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it… Then Jesus told the centurion, “Go. As you have believed, let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that very moment.” (Matthew 8: 8–9, 13)

Jesus blesses!

It is inconceivable that as deeply as Jesus loves us he would not bless us. He loves us so much that he even blesses us when we sin – he blesses us with forgiveness now that’s love!

If it’s to be, Jesus says leave to me!

Right now as you read these words Jesus is giving you gifts of blessings, spiritual blessings yet often those spiritual blessings manifest themselves in ways that we can see and feel. We receive a physical healing. Suddenly we feel at peace even when things are still fuzzy. Suddenly we see a small ray of hope. Suddenly we feel loved and not alone. Suddenly we know how to decide on an important question. And the list of gifts of blessings go on and on.

Yet… If Jesus gave you a blessing and you never opened it would it still be a blessing? A gift that is never opened is always a gift. But when a gift is opened it becomes a blessing.

“When he came down from the mountain, large crowds followed him. Right away a man with leprosy came up and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Reaching out his hand, Jesus touched him, saying, “I am willing; be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” (Matthew 8:1–3)

One of the things I always do when reading a scripture is to identify the most important words for me the time I am reading it. Sometimes I find myself marveling that days or weeks later I can read the same quote and discover the important words have changed.

“I will,” those two words jump right off the page and into the nitty-gritty everyday struggles that are pressing upon me as I type these words. Even before I ask for a blessing Jesus’ voice echoes in my ears, “I will.”

Note: As you continue reading the remainder of this Glory Seed when you see the word “my” or “me” please experience them as yourself, thank you.

“Will you bring peace to my troubled spirit, Jesus?”

“I will.”

“Will you touch and heal the jagged edges of my life, Jesus?”

“I will.”

“Will you bless and look after my children, Jesus?”

“I will.”

“Will you forgive my shortcomings, Jesus?”

“I will.”

“Will you pick me up when I fall, carry me when I am weak, Jesus?”

“I will.”

And my life goes on!

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise